Bed and bedpan combination



Feb. 28, 1933. w Q ELLlOTT 1,899,263

BED AND BEDPAN COMBINATION Filed Aug. 1, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W. aELLL'OZ/L Q mm ATTORN EY Feb. 28, 1933. W C LLI TT 1,899,263

BED AND BEDPAN COMBINATION Filed Aug. 1, 1931 5 sheets-sheet 5 WCELLLOZL EE- Patented. F ch. 28,; 1 933 .L

' 1 NI E STATES J WILLIAM ol nriiror'r, or monnsroioamronnm I BEDAND'BEDPV'AN COMBINATION Applicationfiled August 1, 1931. Serial No. 554,433.

This invention relates to hospital equipment and especially to beds. Bedridden patients must perforce use bed pans and at present it is necessary to raise or rollthe patient 5 over on the bed in order to place or remove the bed pan. This is not only harden the nurse, especially when dealing with a heavy orhelpless patient, but is apt at times to be detrimental to the condition of the patient 9 and to cause him .additional pain.

- The principal object of my inventlon is to.

avoid the above objectionable features incidental to the use of a bed pan by providing 1 a bed and pan combination so .arrangedthat without any movement of the patient the panmay be placedin its operative positionor removedtherefrom. Such an arrangement obviously necessitates the provision of an open-- 0 ing in the mattress for the placement of the pan.. Anotherjobject of my present inven 'tion therefore is to provide a mattress plug forthis opening and asupporting and con.- trol mechanism for the plug and. pan arranged so that the plug will automatically 0 be withdrawn from the opening when the pan, is moved to position therein and vice versa, I have also arranged the control apparatus so that it is extremely easy to manipulate and no great strengthisnecessary to effect such manipulation. v i p Another advantage of my, structure lies 1n the fact that the bed pan may always be kept out of the way'but on the control apparatus ready for immediate use; and owing-to the speed with which it may then be moved into position, no delay in administering to the Wants of a patient need ever be had.

i A further object of the invention is to pro duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet. one which will be exceedingly efi'ective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. I

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in, the several views: c v Fig- 1 sis-a side elevationi'of the combination partly brokenout showing the mattress plug in position in the opening.

l ig. 2 is a similar view showing the bed pan in position in the opening. I

. 8 is a top plan view of the pan support and cooperating parts. i 1

Fig. '4 is a side elevation of the double ratchet structure for the ,operatingchain sprockets. I

Referringnow more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the bed includes side frames' 1 having upstanding brackets 2 at their ends which support the end cross bars 3 of the usual spring mattress 4. The fabric mattress 5 is supported on the spring mattresses usual both mattresses having a relativelylarge opening 6 out therethrough ata predetermined place in their area. v

' Journalledin bearing blocks 7 secured to.

and under the frames 1' adjacent the head end'of the bedis'a shaft 8 on which trans-v versely spaced sprocket wheels 9 are fixed. A crank handle 10 is applied to one end of the shaft so that it may be readily turned. Endless chains 11 pass about the sprockets and about other sprockets or idler sheaves '12 mounted on and under the bar 3 at the foot end of the bed. The length of the chains is such that a portion of the same is always slack. V

Interposed between and connected tothe upper runs of the chains is a rigid cross bar 18. To the head side of thi's'bar between the chains links 14 are flexibly connected at one end,'the other ends of the links being similarly connected to the adjacent end of a support 15. This support is practically the same v dimensions as the opening 6 and is preferably made of the same material as the spring mattress so as to have some vertical give when horizontallydisposed. ll'ernovably tied onto this support is a plug 16 approximatelythe dimensions of the opening and of-the same thickness and materialas the mattress 5. Connected at one end'to the head end of the supportis a flexible linkage unit 17 which at the other 'e'ndis secured to the springmatthe opening a distance equal to the length of said linkage. If the crank handle is turned so as to move the chains and cross bar 13 toward the foot end of the bed and from a position where the bar 13 is ahead of the opening 6, the linkage connections 17 and 14 will gradually assume positions in alineinent with the support 15. As' the cross bar 13 moves beyond the foot end of theopening nearly the distance equal to-the length Oi the links 14, the mattress plug will be alined with the open. ing. A further movement of the chains (the pull on which comes from the foot end of the bed) draws the links and support into horizontal alineinent with each other and with the upper runs of the chains from the bar 13 to the sheaves 12. The upper runs between said bar and the sprocket wheels being then slack as shown in Fig. 1 so that the linkages and the plug support are then under definite tension. The plug is thus raised into place in the opening where it is level with and practically forms a part of the mattress 5. Being supported by the taut but vertical yieldable chains and links said plug has as much the chains, and to the accon'ipanylng forward J movement of the same. As the upper runs thus move with the con 'inuedturning of the crank handle, the weight of the plug causes its support to drop relative to the chains and said support becomes suspended between the then depending links as shown in Fig. 2.

As the plug moves out of position relative to the opening as above described a bed pan moves into said opening this pan being supported and moved by the following structure.

Extending rearwardly from and connected at one end to the foot side of the cross bar 13 inwardly or" the chains 11 are chains 18 which at their opposite ends are connected to bars 19 extending lengthwise of the bed. These bars constitute the side members of a rigid frame which supports a flanged platform 20, of a size to receive and locate the base of a standard bed pan 21 in a desired position. Other chains 22 are connected at one end to the foot'ends of the bars 19 and extend to rigid connections with the foot bar 3 of the bed. The length of the chains 22 and the height of the platform are such that when the chains are outstretched and substantially horizontal the pan will be alined with and project into the opening so as to be practically flush with the top of the mattress 5 as shown in Fig. 2. When the crank handle is turned so that the pan is moved to this position the upper runs of the chains are taut from the sprocket wheels to the bar 13, while the remaining portions of the upper runs and the lower runs are slack.

It will thus be seen that the pan is supported in much the same manner as the mat tress plug and on the crank being turned in a direction to move the plug into place the pan drops from place in much the same manner as, theplug. The pan however cannot be allowed to tiltas the plug may do but must obviously be held horizontal. and positively moved toward the foot of the bed where it is convenient for removal. This i done by the following means:

Secured at opposite ends to the bars 3 are normally slecked cords 23. These cords pass through the housings 24 of and under pulleys 25. These are secured on longitudinally spaced arms 26 upstanding from the bars 19.

to the sides of the support 20. These cords are arranged when the pan support is lowered from the opening, to ride on the under side of the pulleys and take the weight of the support and pan. They also act in conjunction with the then depending but still taut chains 18, to maintain the support in a horizontal position with its rearward and downward movement.

To positively push the support toward the foot of the bed with a corresponding movement of the chains and cross bar, rods 27 are flexibly mounted on said bar to the outside of the'plane of the arms 26. At their rear free ends these rods slidablyengage the rear pulley housings 24 above the pulleys. Intermediate the said pulley housings and the cross bar, the rods are formed with lateral offsets 28. These form stops or shoulders for engagement with said housingsand are positioned to thus engage the same only after the cross bar 13 has moved toward the foot of the bed a certain distance from the position to which the pan'is alined with the opening.

To hold the chains 11 taut in either direction, so as to prevent the plug or the pan from dropping from place when once positioned in the opening until it is desired to reverse such position I provide the following means:

Mounted on the shaft 8 inwardly of the bearing 7 to which the crank is adjacent are oppositely arranged ratchet wh els 29. These are adapted to be alternately engaged by pawls 30 pivoted on the block 7 in longitudinally spaced relation. The pivoted pins 31 of said pawls project through the block and on the outside of the same are connected to up standing arms 32 one of which serves as a control handle. A link 33 connects the arms so that both will move together, and it is to be understood that the pawls are arranged so that when one pawl engages its ratchet wheel the pawl of the other wheel is disengaged therefrom and vice versa. In this manner the shaft 8 and consequently the sprocket wheels and-chains li will be held from undesired movement in one direction or the other.

, From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a de-' vice as substantially fulfills the objects of the inventionas set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred-construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from they spirit of the invention, as defi'nedby the appended claims. 1 Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a a

\ 1. In combination withv a bed having a mattress provided with anopening therethrough, a mattress-plug to fill the opening,

a support for the plug, linkage extending between and connected at one end to one end of nection with the mattress as a pivot; and op crating means connected to the opposite end of the support to selectively holdthe linkage taut and horizontal so that the support is alined with the opening, or to allow the support to be lowered from the 0pening,and to then move the support lengthwise of the bed and clear of the opening.

beyond the corresponding end of the opening a distance substantially equal to the length of the link, the length of the link being sufiicient to permit the support to be lowered from the opening and then moved lengthwise of the bed in the direction of the linkage when the latter swings down froma horizontal position and about its connection with the mattress as an axis, a member movable lengthwise of and mounted in connection with the bed, said member having an upward slope-in the direction of the opposite end of the opening a link connection between said member and the opposite end ofthe support and meansto thus move said member lengthwise of the bed whereby to control the lowering and horizontal movement of the plug. l

a 3. In combination with a bed having a mattress provided with an opening therethrough,

a mattress-plug to fill'the opening, a support for the plug, operating means applied to one end of said support to move the same both" lengthwise and verticallyof the bed, and con necting meansbetween the other end of the bed and the support to cause themovement of the operatingmeans in-one direction to cause the plug to first drop from the opening and to be then moved lengthwise of the bed beyond the opening, and to cause a movement of said means in the; other. direction to first move the plug into alinement with the opening, and to then raise the plug into said open-u 1ng., I

' 4. In combination with a bedhavinga mattress vprovided with an opening, therethrough, a support for a bedpan, flexible elements vextending between and connected to the, support and oneend of the bed, members extending lengthwise of the bedto; the sides of thesupport, means mounting said members .in connection with the bed, flexible elements between said members and the. other en dr'of the support and extending in the direction opposite to that end of the bed to which said first named elements are connected, means to movethe members lengthwise of the bed. in opposite directions selectively, said members and support being arranged relative to each other and to the bed so that. when the members are moved a predetermined distance in one direction the elements will become taut and alined and the pan support will lie in regisg tering'alinement with and immediately un-' der theopeni'ng; and when said member is moved, in the opposite direction a predetermined distance, the support will be lowered and the elements willbecomerelatively slack, means between the members-and support to push the latter lengthwise of the bed after it has been thus lowered and with a further movementiof themembers in said opposite direction, and means acting, on the support to maintain the same in a substantially horizontal position as the same is lowered and moved lengthwise. r

5; A structure as in claim 4, in which said lastnamedmeans comprises flexible elements connected at their opposite ends to the bed beyond both ends of the opening, and longitudinally spaced pulleys mounted on the sup port on opposite sides and engaged ontheir under sides by said flexible elements; the latter being slack when the support is in positioncin the opening but becoming taut and sustaining the latter in a horizontal position when said support is lowered and moved lengthwise of the bed a predetermined dis-,

tance." v a v '6. In combinationewith a bed having a mattress provided with an opening therethrough cndless transversely spaced chains plied to both chains in common to move them 7 lengthwise, a structure comprising a plurality of flexibly connected elements flexibly connected at one end to the bar and at the other end to the bed toward one end of the same, a mattress plug mounted on said'struc ture, another structure comprising a support for a bed nan, flexible elements flexibly connected at one end to the bar and'at the other end to the adjacent end of the support, and other similar elements connected to the opposite end of the'support and to the bed beyond said support; said structures and chains being arranged relative to each other and to the bed and mattress opening so that when one structure is pulled to an outstretched position' by a movement of the chains in one direction the part supported thereby will project into the opening While the other structure is relatively collapsed and the part supported thereby is below and beyond the opening, and vice versa.

7. In combination with a bed having a mattress provided with an opening therethrough, endless transversely spaced chains extending lengthwise of and mounted on the bed under the mattress, a cross bar connecting the upperrun of the chains, means ap plied to both chains in common to move them lengthwise, separate supports for a mattress plug for the opening and for a bed pan, elements suspending the pan support from the crossbar and tromthe bed toward'one end, and elements suspending the plug supportfrom the bar and from the bed toward its opposite end; said elements and chains being arranged relative to each other and to the bed so that when the chains are moved in one direction the plug support will be raised into registering position with the opening while the pan support is relatively depressed and moved beyond the opening, and vice versa.

8. In combination with a bed having a mattress provided with an opening therethrough, endless transversely spaced chains extending lengthwise of and mounted on the bed under the mattress, a cross bar connecting the upper run of the chains, direction changing members aboutwhich the chains pass mounted on the bed toward its ends, a mattress plug for the opening, a support for the plug, links between and flexibly connected to the bar and to one end of the support, relatively long links flexibly connecting the opposite end of the support to the bed beyond one end of the opening, and at a distance from said end equal to the length 0t said long links; the direction changing member at that end of the bed opposite to that toward which the long links extend being substantially in horizontal alinement with the'point of connection of said links with the bed and means to move the chains lengthwise of the bed whereby to cause all the links to be pulled straight and the plug to assume a position in greaterthan the distance between the direc tion changing members whereby the run to which the bar is connected may deflect from a projecting to the sides of the support, guides on the sides of the support for the free ends of the rods, and means on the rods forming stops for engagement with the guides after the support has been lowered and the members have moved lengthwise a predetermined distance, I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM C. ELLIOTT. 

